Allowing hunters to shoot (and eat) sa国际传媒 geese would be a low-cost and effective way to reduce numbers of a species that has become invasive and destructive, not only on Vancouver Island, but in many other areas of the world.
At the urging of Mike Hicks, the Juan de Fuca Electoral Area鈥檚 representative on the Capital Regional District board, directors have agreed to ask the municipal councils of North Saanich, Central Saanich, Saanich, Metchosin and Sooke to amend firearms bylaws to allow landowners or their designates to hunt sa国际传媒 geese on their land during regular hunting season.
It鈥檚 a sensible move. The south Island simply has too many of the geese, and other methods of control are not particularly effective.
Efforts have been made to addle goose eggs 鈥� shaking them so they don鈥檛 hatch 鈥� but that means finding the nests first. It鈥檚 a labour-intensive job that hasn鈥檛 had much impact. Various means of scaring away the birds seldom have a long-term effect, because sa国际传媒 geese quickly adapt to hazing methods.
Organized kills are permitted during moulting season, but those geese can鈥檛 be eaten (they鈥檙e not palatable at that time of year, in any case). And it can be expensive 鈥� the CRD spent $31,200 to kill 43 geese in a cull last year, not enough to make a dent in the goose population.
Crop-protection permits can be obtained that allow the shooting of geese on farms, golf courses and airports, but that method is hampered by municipalities鈥� regulations that prohibit discharging firearms within their boundaries.
Hicks says that simply changing those regulations would allow for the shooting of thousands more geese. Landowners and the hunters they allow would be required to follow federal rules and have the proper permits. And of course, adequate safety procedures should be part of the process.
This problem is not the result of humans invading the geese鈥檚 habitat. The goose population has exploded because humans have created habitat 鈥� the wily waterfowl love to graze on grass and other vegetation, and are particularly fond of lawns, golf courses and parks, particularly if there鈥檚 a nearby pond or lake.
sa国际传媒 geese are, by nature, migratory, but they stay year-round in urban settings because of the abundance of food and lack of predators. As their numbers grow, they damage natural habitat, as well as planted vegetation. Large and aggressive, they drive out native species of waterfowl, threatening our biodiversity.
A flock of geese can quickly destroy a newly sprouted crop, trampling what vegetation it doesn鈥檛 eat. They are a serious hindrance to Island farmers, especially at a time when more emphasis is being placed on eating locally grown produce.
Non-migratory sa国际传媒 geese are a problem wherever they have been introduced. In Europe, they top the list of environmentally disruptive species catalogued by that continent鈥檚 researchers.
Some might regard the sa国际传媒 goose as a symbol of sa国际传媒, but it鈥檚 an unofficial symbol at best, since sa国际传媒 does not yet have an official bird. The Canadian Geographic Society hopes to change that. It is seeking the opinions of Canadians through online voting, and will present a proposal to politicians in time for the country鈥檚 150th anniversary in 2017.
Let鈥檚 hope the goose is not chosen. As a symbol for our country, we wouldn鈥檛 want a noisy, aggressive bird that damages the environment and stirs up hostility by settling in large numbers where it鈥檚 not wanted.
Left unchecked, the numbers of geese will continue to grow, to no one鈥檚 benefit. Allowing them to be hunted will be good for the environment, not to mention providing a source of high-quality, tasty protein to those who hunt them.
